Rockets Need Shooting to Take the Next Step

The Houston Rockets struggled with a glaring hole on their roster this season. They were one of the worst shooting teams this season, and their offense was significantly slower when they didn't get a high-quality performance from Fred VanVleet or Jalen Green. There's a pressing need for the Rockets to address their poor shooting in the offseason.

The issue Houston has had is that its best shooters either suffer from limited playing time or moments of ill-advised shot-taking.

Green, Dillon Brooks, and Jabari Smith Jr. are the team's top shooters, and the Rockets depended on each player to make tough shots throughout the season. Brooks and Smith Jr. took many of Houston's open shots from deep, helping space the floor from the wings.

Brooks was an integral part of the lineup throughout the season, averaging more minutes per game than first-time All-Star Alperen Sengun during the regular season. His consistency in the starting lineup helped space the floor, but he sometimes made poor decisions with the ball.

One of the most frequent features of the offense involved Brooks backing down smaller defenders for layups and fadeaway jumpers. While his strength and length helped him physically overtake smaller players, the fadeaways and mid-range jumpers aren't the highest-quality looks for the offense. His freedom is due to the scoring-by-committee approach by the Rockets with no clear No. 1 scoring option.

Green also suffered from poor decision-making. He can consistently create his shot off the dribble, but his efficiency isn't consistent, as he is one of the streakiest shooters on the team. He had slightly more success with wide-open shots, but he wasn't a dead-eye shooter even when left alone beyond the arc.

Smith Jr. was one of the most trusted players from deep throughout the season and postseason. He was huge in the playoffs as he knocked down several big three-pointers in his limited minutes. However, his limited minutes became the real problem in the postseason.

His role had been diminished since returning from a late-season injury that saw Amen Thompson inserted into the starting lineup. Thompson is a more impactful player on defense and offense, but the starters lacked Smith Jr.'s shooting to end the season. Adding a non-shooter like Thompson made the spacing more difficult for players who needed to get downhill to be effective.

Adding more shooters to the roster would immediately open space for the slashers on the team. It will also benefit Sengun, who could see his assists improve if more of his teammates convert on their shots.